


My Hero

by Pawsicle (Wildeh), Wildeh



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Orphanage, Past Abuse, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:48:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22509598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildeh/pseuds/Pawsicle, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wildeh/pseuds/Wildeh
Summary: One has a strong desire to protect and the other has a strong desire to corrupt. Two very different orphans bond over very different supernatural powers.AU Harry Potter Fanfic. No Magic but Supernatural elements.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle
Comments: 6
Kudos: 90





	1. Dennis Bishop walked into the bathroom door.

" _Its exactly what it seems_

_The horror I live_

_The evil that beats inside me_

_Its called my disease."_

_\- A Skylit Drive **'My Disease'**_

* * *

Wool's Orphanage was no place for heroics.

It would only result in further hostility to be bred from such a confrontation. However, that did not stop the 10 year old Harry Potter from confronting Billy Stubbs and Dennis Bishop, who stood readily and eager outside the boy’s bathroom waiting for an unsuspecting Tom Riddle to emerge. Little did they know that Tom was more than expecting, in fact the boy all but planned for this confrontation to occur.

Only about two months ago did he start cleverly goading the bullies on. The boys had fortunately taken the bait before. However, Tom was unable to get what he wanted from the encounter as one of the matrons or even one of the other orphans would step up and pacify the situation. Try and try again, Tom was not one to quit. He was motivated to witness once more the magnificent glow from Harry Potters bright green eyes as he stepped up to defend his roommate.

Tom Riddle had never thought Harry Potter to be capable of such a blazing fire for violence before, and this new burst of strength had made Tom obsessed. Harry had always been quiet and kept mostly to himself. He was extremely petite, barely baring any muscle let alone fat. Nothing but skin and bones wearing too large clothing. The Matrons had a hard time finding clothing that fit him well enough and just made due by just rolling up his pants and the cuffs of his sleeves. Or just simply taking scissors to them. Despite his weak and borderline pathetic appearance, Harry Potter was the only one in the orphanage that Tom could actually stand. 

  
Not at first, of course. The boy only arrived less than a year ago and did not utter a word for the first month. In the beginning, Tom had assumed him to be slow. After some late night sneaking around the place he had coincidentally overheard one of the matrons say that his previous family had not taught him how to talk. All the more reason why he accepted the to-short boy to share his living space. Harry never could never start an awkward conversation, took up very little space, and would never dare to look at Tom. He would remain on his own side of the room, and Tom would remain on his, pretending that neither one existed.

  
The situation was perfect. Harry was perfect. That fact was even more solidified in Tom Riddles head only as the result of the incident from two months prior. When Harry Potters voice burst hoarsely from an unused throat and a hundred levitating stones were encircling the short-but-also-it-seemingly-suited-him boy; all poised to aim at the back-turned Dennis Bishop after he pushed Tom Riddle into the mud.

  
Two months later, now, Harry Potter was fuming again at the end of a long the hallway on the third floor of Wool's Orphanage. The floor primarily occupied by the male residents; thus Harry, Tom, Billy, Dennis and a few other unnamed boys that Tom at that moment could not care to recall. 

This hall way was Tom Riddles stage and he was director of the opening act. 

As Harry prepared himself to launch at Billy and Dennis, Tom listened and waited patiently for his cue. Everything was in their places and their lines memorized. A mask descended on Toms face as he processed what was happening on the other side of the door.

Giggles had erupted from Billy's mouth as he turned to see the expression on Harry's face. His were wide with rage and with nostrils flared he balled his hands into fists which tremble at his sides. His whole demeanor had completely warped, as those someone turned off a switch that said _'Harry Potter_ ' and flicked it to _rabies infected animal_. Before Harry could pounce Dennis lifted his hands above his head curled his fingers into horns and dropped his tongue out of his mouth. Billy Stubb's watched his friend with a smile, copying the gesture immediately.

The rumor of how Harry Potter had come to occupy Wool's Orphanage had relentlessly stalked Harry since he arrived.

_Demon Boy_

His story had been captured in newspapers and reported endlessly on the radios. Journalists and detectives had called on the boy on multiple times. Priests were called to check in on the orphan to calm the local communities who feared that Satan lived among them. It was amplified even more by the very people Harry now lived with. the matrons churned out new rumors with their everlasting throw of wary glances directed at the boy.

Tom Riddle knew from his constant eavesdropping that Harry Potter grew up in a difficult situation; raised by his Aunt and Uncle who were forced to take care of him after the mysterious death of his biological parents -the matrons assumed even that Harry had been the cause-. After he was placed as a babe with his only remaining family Harry was neglected, given only the bare minimum to survive. But his circumstances did not justify how Harry Potter could possibly be involved in blowing up his aunt.

With an endless amount of free-time at the orphanage Tom Riddle had been researching the strange case and up until two months ago he had pushed aside the tabloids. The evidence pointed to Harry being the suspect, as well as witness testimony confirming it, but Tom's experience with the tiny-but-absolutely-doll-like boy did not. Now however, he could believe some of the journalists and detectives statements. 

"Looks like the little devil wants to play!" Billy spoke. 

Dennis reached to pull the bathroom door open. Tom stepped back, his mask in place already shifting from pleasure to mock surprise and then quickly melting to faux-fear at the sight of Billy and Dennis.

The moment the boys turned away from Harry everything happened very quickly.

Harry lunged himself forward, tackling both boys to the ground. Tom had actually been a little caught off guard by Harry's initiative to be the first to move. Definitely a welcomed surprise as he had expected Harry to wait until the bullies hands were on him before Harry would step in.

Of course, like Tom, Billy and Dennis both were immensely caught off guard. They did not expect the bullet-like-but-also-skeletal-like Harry Potter to take them both on. The sheer thrust in which he launched himself seemed to have cause them both to become briefly winded. But, Billy fought back. First rolling away as Harry's focus shifted to the stunned Dennis. Billy would have pulled Harry off but he was too quick and Billy had instinctively faltered when he looked at Harry's now glowing eyes. Instead he turned and ran down the hallway to fetch one of the orphanages matrons. Harry, however, was blinded by his anger and he pounded his fists into Dennis Bishops face. Punching over and over and over.

Tom was fixated on the scene before him; still standing in the bathrooms doorway not more than a meter from the tumbling boys. He locked his eyes onto the glowing green. Harry had broke Dennis's nose after the third punch and there was blood trickling from his nostrils down to the floor and splattering on Harry's less than white shirt.

The supernatural glow around Harry eyes heightened and Tom finally got to see what he had been waiting so long to witness once more. Small objects around Harry started levitating, pulsating with the matching green that of Harry's eyes. The objects were hovering over his head, threateningly dancing and all pointing downward at Dennis Bishops wailing form. Harry all but ignored the phenomenon as he continued to punch through bloody tissue.

The first time Tom had saw the floating rocks Tom did not know how to respond. He could no believe it. It did not seem possible at all. But now with the strange phenomenon happening again, slowly, Tom examined every angle and stored the sight into his mind. Studying Harry and the bizarre power.

Such a quiet and simple looking child but none the less capable of such powers.

It seemed that when Harry accidentally allowed his emotions to run wild his eyes would glow, and from that glow things would start to move, ignoring whatever sense of gravity kept them tied to the earth.

Harry Potter possessed the ability to make things levitate.

In addition, he had even managed to use the power on his own body resulting in him having the ability to propel himself forward like a bullet. This was a new piece of information about Harry that Tom had learned from today's fight.

Harry's arms slowed down, pausing, with eye still glowing. His mouth was agape as he panted heavily. A bit of saliva dripped from his mouth and he brought a blood soaked palm up to his face to wipe it away, leaving behind a trail of red that stood out prominently on his pale skin.

Dennis squinted through his bruised eyes up past Harry, seeing books, toys, pencils, even a pair of scissors all summoned from the open rooms floating above them. They hovered and rotated slowing. Harry's eyes were glued to the bloody face of Dennis Bishop as he opened his mouth to scream. But Dennis couldn't get a sound out, something was silencing him. 

Something was calming him; a feeling that was not of Dennis's own making. It was a foreign feeling of manipulation being fed from somewhere else.   
Dennis smiled slowly through the red on his face.

Harry swallowed, his eyes stopped glowing, and the objects around him dropped with a loud clatter.

Footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. The fun was over. Billy Stubbs had returned with Ms Cole, and a few other orphans trailing behind her.

Tom reached his hand towards Harry grabbing him by the back of his shirt, pulling him off Dennis and behind him.

Harry looked between Tom and Dennis, then to his hands. There was blood everywhere; on the floor, on his shirt, his hands, his face...

Dennis was slowly getting up, still calmly smiling towards Harry. The smaller boy wrapped arms wrapped around himself, a feeble attempt to hide what he had done. He was absolutely distraught. The switch inside him was flicked again. Long gone was the rabies infected animal and Harry Potter had returned. Hunched over with trembling legs, and a long black fringe to hide the expressive green eyes.

Harry's eyes were darting across the objects scattered on the floor and his fingers began scratching at the exposed skin on his wrists. Old scars decorated his skin and he seemed to instinctively start scratching at them.

Tom took Harry's wrists in his hand.

Harry did not try to pull away and instead went limp.

Ms. Cole rushed to Dennis's side bending down to check his pulse. Another one of the matrons, Martha if Tom remembered correctly, had also appeared in the stairway.   
Once she saw the mess of Dennis Bishop all bruised and bloody on the floor she reached to shield the other orphans away from it. She looked over at Ms. Cole with horror in her eyes.

"Mr. Riddle! What is going on here?" The older woman glared at Tom who had cleverly shielded Harry behind him. Tom was taller than Harry -everyone was- and he used the height to hide the evidence of what Harry did. Still, Tom did not answer her questions returning her glare head on.  
Instead Dennis Bishop spoke up through the blood pooling in his mouth.

"I went to scare Tom..." He sounded dazed. Flat. There was no emotion. "Tom opened the door too quickly- I got hit."

Billy's eyes widened and locked his eyes at Tom.

Tom paid no attention to Billy's now terrified gaze and was actually smiling at Dennis. He was happy. Positively giddy. As if Dennis's words were pleasurable in some way. 

Billy could hear the other orphans that had caught the state of Dennis's face commenting on how stupid Dennis was for walking into a door.

Ms. Cole even seemed to buy it as she merely ignored Dennis's words and only waved her hand to usher Martha over.

The young woman took Ms. Cole's position while the matron headed off to her office to call the authorities. Dennis, was far too damaged to be treated by the matrons so he was to be sent to the hospital. Or at the very least be dealt with by the paramedics.

Harry hadn't moved from behind Tom. No longer was he trembling but rather he had recoiled into the shy quiet boy from before. The disgust and guilt had frozen the boy in place. No one would expect shy, quiet, Harry Potter of anything. He did not do anything. It was not possible he did anything. He was _normal._ He was not a _freak._

He moved only to scratch his wrists.

Tom released a sigh as Harry resumed his habit. A nervous self-harming twitch, Tom concluded. Some people would bite their nails, some being fidgeted with their hair or touched their face. Harry would scratch scars into his wrists.

Once more Tom covered the scars with his hand and then dragged the boy back to their room. The Matrons had all but cleared the hall of the rest of the orphanage and the third floor seemed to only occupy the two of them. Billy had helped Martha with escorting Dennis down the stairs and into the foyer to await the paramedics arrival. 

It was a moment of peace and quiet and Tom did not know how long the two of them would have before Martha, Ms Cole or even Billy would come around demanding more concrete answers to what happened. Tom wanted to relish the moment longer with just himself and the younger boy alone. He wanted to write down everything he saw and document Harry's reaction to seeing the result of the power.

And he definitely wanted to help the tiny-but-strong boy.

After the two of them entered their room Tom guided Harry to his cot. He pushed the boy to sit and released his wrists.

Harry was unresponsive. He seemed to be shrinking into his clothing, appearing even smaller than normal.

Tom fetched a wet rag from the bathroom, took Harry's hands into his own and wiped them down. He went to his wardrobe and pulled out one of the too large sweaters and brought it over to the old cot. Tom pulled off not-so-white shirt from the boy who still put up no resistance, allowing himself to be rag dolled around. Tossing the blood stained shirt towards the laundry basket he pulled the fresh sweater over Harry's head and slide his arms into the sleeves. Tom rolled up the sleeves just enough that the tips of Harry's fingers were exposed. His wrists remained covered.

Harry had watched with distant eyes and when Tom was finished tending to him he moved to stare at a old stain on the floor.

He wished Harry would talk. Reading Harry's face and studying his body language was an enticing challenge for Tom and Harry's eyes rarely hid any emotion. They were surprisingly very expressive. Even without Harry's emotions raging and rampaging his eyes were still an unnaturally bright green, only highlighted by his pale skin and dark hair.

Reading others was as easy as breathing. But Harry was unlike anyone Tom had met in his 12 years. The boy was an absolutely enigma and one that Tom wanted to unravel for the rest of his life.

Tom focused.

Ignored the white noises from those outside their room and just _breathed._

"Harry," He squeezed the smaller hands.

There was a flinch in the small boys eyebrows.

But Harry still refused to meet Tom.

He was ashamed.

Tom's had to push down his growing irritation and he inhaled again trying to extend his dwindling patience.

Harry had nothing, absolutely nothing, to be ashamed about.

After all, Tom had orchestrated the whole thing and had lured Harry into the fight. He used everyone there for his own selfish gains. Tom did not feel any remorse, only pleasure. He craved to share these emotions with Harry.

Or perhaps, Harry was being stubborn.

Tom watched as Harry bit his bottom lip and tried to pull out of Tom's grasp.

Definitely stubborn. Tom concentrated on the pleasure brewing inside him and inhaled again. He could feel beads of sweat trickle down the sides of his face.

A few more breaths -and some soothing caresses on Harry's covered wrists- he exhaled deeply pushing the same feeling he felt out around him. He drew Harry's small hands towards him, pulling the boy to lean into him. Their foreheads hovering close.

" _Harry_ " Tom hissed. The tone was different. It was not said to comfort him or to get his attention but rather it was a command.

Harry shifted his gaze from the floor ever so slowly, raising his head at Toms word.

His eyes widened in surprise.

Tom Riddles eyes were a burning _red._


	2. "No freaks in this house. We are a normal family"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two. Please enjoy.   
> Will edit throughout the rest of the week.

_"Lately, it’s been too much all day_

_Words shot like a cannon at me_

_I just wanna be myself_

_I can’t be someone else, someone else"_

_One Ok Rock - **Stand out Fit in.**_

They were instructed to follow Martha to Ms. Coles office.

"She wants to talk to us," Tom spoke over his shoulder from the doorway. Martha had come to fetch them. "All of us."

It was only a few hours after the incident and Dennis Bishop was all patched up, but he was ordered to rest. Ms. Cole had wanted answers as soon as possible and went to Dennis as the paramedics laid him down in his room, but they warned her not to stress the boy out any further. 'I'm sorry ma'am. But the lad needs rest.'

Ms. Cole gave in and asked about the damage the boy had received.

They said it was just a broken nose. Dennis bled a lot. That was a good thing.

_'He is quite healthy, you should be proud of the care you put into these lads.'_

She was humored by his comment, giggling and placing her shriveled up prune hand on the younger mans bicep; _'How kind you are, young man.'_

But the paramedics report matched what Tom had told Harry. It was only a broken nose. There was a lot of blood but it turned out that some of the blood was in fact Harry's own.

For a moment Harry felt relief but Martha came to fetch them.

Harry was willing to accept any punishment handed to him. He knew from the copious amount of blood that he did something. Tom kept deflecting and telling him he did _nothing wrong..._

Tom was adamant that what happened was absolutely justified.

Martha stood in the doorway and tried to push past Tom to speak to Harry.

"Please give us a moment, Martha" Tom spoke, his voice low. Martha flinched at the change in the voice, but in the same split second her body became subdued and she backed off from the boys room. Turning away and heading down the hall Harry could hear Martha's slurred out "Okay..."

Harry was trembled a little and the hairs on the back of his neck rose. 

Tom had closed the door again and was walking over to take a seat next to Harry again on his cot.

This was just another exchange between Tom and one of the matrons that left Harry a bit thrown for how easily Tom seemed to be able to get them to disappear so easily.

He did not have to see Tom's face to image that Martha had been greeted at the door by the glowing red irises. 

Harry brought his palms together and fiddled with his fingers.

Tom blinked, innocent brown eyes now.

"You won't have to say anything," Tom started. 

Talking was not Harry's main concern... If Dennis brought up more than just the fighting... if he brought up seeing floating school supplies...

"He won't" Red again. It was more than just a threat, but a promise that was no exactly directed at him. But as if he was speaking to Dennis himself.

_'You will not say anything, you just ran into a door... it was your stupid mistake. '_

Only three of them made it to Ms. Cole's office. Dennis was out cold, passed out from some prescribed aspirin.

The Matrons office was small and the darkly painted walls only made it smaller. There was a draft spilling in from the slightly open window causing Harry to shiver. The three boys were meant to stand across from Ms. Cole as she sat at her desk; Tom was in the middle of the three with Billy to his right and Harry dwarfed to his left. Tom was looking only at Ms. Cole, Harry at the floor and Billy at Harry.

As he spat out his side of story Billy Stubb's did not look away from the smaller boy.

"I do not even remember why we were going there! One minute Dennis and I were outside playing kickball and then we were outside the bathroom!" His voice cracked. "I swear, Riddle did something!"

"And what did I do?" Tom bit back.

"I don't know what you did. But I saw what Potter did! He was flying across the hall!"

"Listen to yourself, how does that make any sense?" There was humor in Tom's voice. But before Billy could answer the question Ms. Cole waved her hand to silence the two.

"Tom, not only are you Harry's roommate but you are older than him. A full two years older! You must be the one to set an example." She flashed a smile but it did not touch her eyes. 

Then she turned to Harry.

"Now, Harry... Can you tell me what happened?"

Ms. Cole tried to make her voice sound sweet but there was an obvious hint of fear that unfortunately was unavoidable in her tone. Her pause sounding less patient and more of a nervous twitch. Hesitance.

Harry wanted to respond. He truly wanted to be able to open his mouth and get the words out. To defend himself; to defend Tom. It was not right that Tom would be doing all the talking. That was not fair to the older boy. But no words came out. He knew whatever he said would be a lie and he would be punished for lying. What was the appropriate response? What could he say? _He had punched Dennis. He had broken Dennis's nose. He had Dennis's blood all over his clothing. He had freakish powers that caused inanimate objects to float..._

"Ms. Cole you know the the little demon won't talk!" Billy rocked forward in his chair, spiting the words out at Harry.

"Billy, hush. I heard your side, now I must hear Harry's." she waved her hand this time gesturing at Harry. "Did you see what happened..." that nervous pause "Dear?"

She struggled to use that word, Ms. Cole did not consider Harry as a Dear. She already had made up her mind about the guilty party and that meant Harry was in fact doomed. Harry Potter was a troublemaker, a bully, a freak, a little devil... He swallowed.

Tom's voice pulls Harry out of his thoughts.

"Oh please... You are frightening him with your ridiculous claims. I am older than Harry and I do set an example. But what about Stubb's here? He and I are the same age. But he thinks it is appropriate to accuse someone younger and so much smaller than him of something so _bizarre_?"

Billy's eyes glazed over and the anger dropped from his face.

"You... are right... it doesn't make sense..."

Harry looks away from Billy and up at Tom. The other boy had not once dropped his shoulders and stood with his hands folded behind his back. Now though his gaze pulled away from Ms. Cole and had been staring intensely at Billy. His breathing was too even.

Billy's words did not match his facial expression. Sure Harry heard them, but had he not he would not believe that had been spoken at all.   
Ms, Cole looked suspiciously over to Billy and Tom pulled his eyes from him. She wanted to push Billy for more information, for clarification. She saw the blood, it was just too much for it to be a simple accident. If only Dennis could give his side...

"Ms. Cole, Billy seems tired... maybe we should return to our rooms for today?"

Tom hand came to rest on Harry's shoulder, squeezing tightly.

The air in the room was tight. Polluted. Harry could not explain the suffocation he felt.

He tried to pull away from Tom.

Ms. Cole nodded. "Of course... "

They left. Billy in a daze walked down stairs while Tom guided Harry back to their room.

But when they were alone Harry disentangled himself from Tom's hold on his shoulder and decidedly walked a step behind him. Tom did not seem perturbed by Harry's distance. He still followed Tom back to his room however hesitantly.

He was classified as mute on paper, but Harry was not stupid.

He listened well and paid careful attention to how people around him communicated. The words they would use and their mannerisms.

Ms. Cole was not an easygoing person. She rarely let children off the hook. Having worked here since her high-school days she had had the misfortune of taking care of many problematic children. She had learned how to be firm with them, how to punish them when warranted, and how to properly handle the most difficult of situations. Ms. Cole was good at her job.

Even so, she had treated Tom and Harry very differently. They were often kept too firmly inline and watched over with a cold calculating gaze.

Despite that, Ms. Cole allowed the two to just leave.

_'Riddle did something!'_ Billy's accusation echoed around in Harry's head.

What did he do?

Harry let his imagination run wild with picturing what that s _omething_ was. Would he want to acknowledge that Tom had some sort of ability like him...

What ability? He had no abnormal ability. There was nothing freakish about Harry Potter.

His Aunt had told him every day when he was little. _'No freaks in this house. We are a normal family.'_

It was a mantra he was to repeat.

There was no 'something' that Tom Riddle did. There was no 'something' Harry Potter did either.

"Harry, you need to _relax..._ " His voice was that hiss again, and the red eyes appeared only for a blink.

They were back in their room and Tom was ruffling through the nightstand under the window. He picked out a book and gracefully dropped down onto his cot. It was a science book. Tom liked science.

Harry preferred novels or history books...

He watched Tom quietly, almost forgetting his anxiety from a moment ago. He was scared of those red eyes, but now Tom looked... peaceful...

Yes, being with Tom was peaceful.

When he was living with his aunt and uncle he had been forced to attend school with his cousin. His cousin had spread nasty rumors about Harry which had managed to turn the entire school against him. Harry never had a chance to make friends, let alone someone that made him feel so at ease.

The first month Harry had spent at the Orphanage was the extremely emotionally jarring moment. Tom Riddle was rather livid at being forced to share his living space, but grew apathetic quickly. They did not associate with each other at all and Tom would avoid the room during the day only returning at lights out.

Harry would watch Tom until he fell asleep studying the other boys quirks; Tom seemed to be a restless sleeper and would wake up with the first sound of movement outside the door.

Their first real interactions, however, had happened when Harry let curiosity take over and he went over to leaf through one of Tom's notebooks.

Everything on the page was so complicated and there were words their Harry had never seen in his life. When Harry caught what it was that Tom was making notes on Harry had decidedly called the boy a _genius_.

Tom walked in on Harry trying to make sense of the introductory text on physics and he was not angry like Harry expected him to be _. 'He's going to hurt me- I touched his things... Dudley would break my arm if I touched his books-'_

But Tom just smiled, took the book from Harry's hands and eagerly started to explain the complicated theories with such vigor that Harry became dumbfounded.

He smiled back.

The next day Tom had dragged Harry to the local library, helped him make a card, and guided him to a small corner in the back where even more science texts had been stacked. 

Harry, although pleased immensely by Tom's eagerness to share, had picked out an easy to read history book filled with pictures instead. The science was just too daunting -Harry would never admit that the problem was the he actually could not read most of the words-. It would be a lie to say that Tom was not a little disappointed that Harry could not follow along with his preference for reading material but none the less he did help the younger boy make sense of his chosen book.

Instead of writing like Tom did, Harry would draw. He started by copying the pictures in the books and then drawing images he imagined up from the texts he read. At the library he would borrow some pens and paper, and at the orphanage he had managed to scrounge up some old dull nubs of coloured pencils from the bottom of the toy bins.

His pictures were absolutely terrible, abstract in their design. Tom had even teased him _once_.

_"What is that supposed to be?"_

_Harry pointed to a picture of Alexander the Great posing atop his horse baring a spear in his hand._

_"It is certainly an uncanny resemblance," Tom chuckled._

Harry felt happy; at ease.

He would continue the new hobby as he grew thirsty for Tom's light praises and criticisms. Harry had hung his most favourite pieces of art above his bed and kept everything else inside one of the drawers of their shared nightstand.

But not everyone seemed keen on Harry's hobby.

_"Do you want me to help you sharpen you pencils Harry? The blade is rather sharp and I don't want you to hurt yourself" Martha had gestured to a table on the far end of the room. "Here, please sit at this table... you will have so much more space over here."_

Martha wanted to separate him from the rest of the kids. She did not trust him near them with 10 freshly sharpened nubs.

No matter how normal he appeared to be he was never free of their judgement...

"Dinner will be served shortly," Tom said, eyes not leaving the book. "Are you hungry?"

He nodded slowly.

"Do you want to go downstairs?"

He shook his head, _no..._

"I'll bring you something, then."

Tom dog eared his page and put his book down. He got up and went to walk past Harry but Harry's hand reached out and latched onto his shirt.

"Dont... go..."

It was no more than a whisper, but it was Harry's voice..

"Harry... Did you-?" Tom started but Harry cut him off. The shock of hearing Harry's voice was actually causing Tom's heart to jump in his chest. It was startling.

"I don't.."

Harry did not finish the sentence, but by the pulling on Tom's shirt Tom understand what the boy was asking.

He pried Harry's hand of him and placed it at the young boys side.

"I understand Harry, but you need to eat..."

Harry's stomach growled in affirmation; He stepped back in embarrassment.

Tom took his hand to lead him out but Harry refused to budge. Despite the growling anger his fear of leaving the room now was overwhelming. He should go downstairs. He should face his peers because only the guilty would avoid everyone...

"Come on... Let's go." Tom tugged. "Together okay, Harry?"

Tom's fingers snaked up and around his arm.

Red eyes narrowing and attempting to catch Harry's gaze.

Harry did take a step forward but mostly did not budge.

Tom shot him a frustrated look.

"You never make this easy for me..." Tom sighed, rubbing circles into Harry's exposed arm. "But alas, that is what I like about you."

Harry stumbled forward. Tom had said that word so flippantly and casually that anyone but Harry would have put not weight behind it. It was off the cuff, unwarranted and unbelievable. 

_'That is what i like about you.'_

His heart was pounding; racing. His palms were sweaty. His breathing stopped. He met Tom's eyes, searching. Leaning into him despite the glowing red that had him recoiling just moments before.

Tom had quickly caught Harry as he stumbled and the tips of his ears went red.

_'That is what i like about you.'_

His mouth was dry. He wanted to talk again. But the dryness was absorbing his voice like it was water.

"Harry?" Tom said, withdrawing his hand from Harry's arm.

Harry panicked and reached out again to take Tom's escaping hand.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

His actions were frantic, and a bit out of character. Harry was being clingy.

"Like...?" He whispered out.

_Ah, that's why._ Tom smiled.

"Of course I _like_ you, Harry." Tom all but purred. tugging and walking Harry to the door. Harry followed easily being led now. His stomach was growling loud enough for Tom to hear. "I heard Amy say they are serving spaghetti today..."


	3. Harry liked Spaghetti. Amy likes Unicorns. Tom likes...

_See, you're lookin' beyond the surface._

_Can tell by the questions you're asking_

_You got me low-key nervous_

_It feels like we're on the same wave, yeah_

_Never intended to relate, I mean, what are the chances?_

_Never thought I'd connect with you, not in these circumstance_

_-Justin Bieber **Get Me**_

* * *

Harry _liked_ Spaghetti. It was his favourite food. 

When he arrived at the orphanage he had exposure to all these strange new foods he had never had tried before, but, Spaghetti was the only food that he could keep down without his stomach feeling nauseous. Although, Harry had never even seen spaghetti before. His cousin hated tomatoes. He had in fact hated all vegetables.

The first day he saw the dish he was outright confused on whether it was actually eatable. What Harry learned what that the orphanages spaghetti had been 100% made in house; apparently one of the staff was from Italy. They had made the pasta from scratch, they had grown the Tomatoes and basil out back and it was the children's responsibility to maintain the garden or no more spaghetti. Harry had no problem with helping to maintain and weed the garden if it meant more spaghetti.

Harry _liked_ Spaghetti.

And Tom _liked_ Harry.

But that was not the same kind-of like. Was it?

Harry did not know. He had no experience with the word like.

Now sitting at the table with his fork digging into the steaming hot plate of pasta, Harry could not find himself able to focus on enjoying his favourite food. His nervousness was only heightened by the unyielding gaze of Amy Benson from across the dining all. Hesitantly Harry looked up at her.

Amy Benson was a funny girl. Her eyes would always linger on Harry for a lot longer than most of the other Orphans. Most would look at Harry quickly and look away even quicker, Amy would let her stares go detected. When she finally caught Harry to acknowledge her she would often make a show of being shy and looking away... this time was no exception as Harry met her gaze and she ducked, allowing her long brown hair to cover her reddening cheeks.

_'I like your pictures.'_

Amy had approached him once when he was alone with his drawings. Harry had jumped out of his skin when she had appeared next to him, hovering over him as he sunk into his chair.

_'Is it a horse?'_

Harry nodded.

_'I like horses!'_ and she proceeded to sit down beside him, picking up one of Harry's nubs, snatching up a piece of paper and sketched out a doodle in pink and blue. _'See! Its a unicorn! Do you know about unicorns?'_

Another nod and Amy was beaming at him.

"Ignore her," Tom whispered from Harry's left. He had finished his plate a while ago and was waiting on Harry.

Amy had got up with her plate, waved to some of the other girls and disappeared into the kitchen.

Like Harry, Tom was watching her.

He quickly shoveled the last few mouthfuls of Spaghetti down, took a swig of water and was on his feet. Tom following behind collecting both their plates.

The incident with Dennis Bishop had pushed the orphanages schedule back by an hour and so all the kids had a late dinner followed by an early lights out. Tom and Harry were to return to their rooms shortly after cleaning themselves for bed.

The two boys proceeded in gathering up their bag of toiletries and heading to the bathroom together. They went about their business, Harry finishing long before Tom and stood outside the door waiting for his roommate to also finish up. 

It was late. Harry was _extremely_ exhausted. He all but collapsed on the bed when they returned to their room.

Today, Harry woke up first.

He beat Tom, he beat everyone.

He disappeared from their room and headed the down the halls towards entering the bathroom as quietly as he could manage. It was the scene of the incident from the day prior after all; Harry was taking extra care in trying not to alert anyone to his presence. Going slow was not an option.

Now safely behind the bathroom door and in one of the shower stalls he turns on the hot water and stood there in his over sized pants and briefs waiting for the water to heat up. Once there was very visible steam raising from the cascade of water he striped himself bare and hoped in, jumping a little at the sudden increase in temperature. Maybe it was too hot...

Harry takes the washcloth to his body and scrubs himself down, pay extra close attention to his wrists before hanging the cloth on the wall behind him. He lathers up his hair quickly, rinses just as quickly and fumbles to turn the water off.

Grabbing his towel and too large clothing he dries off, dresses and scrambles over to the sink.

He almost tripped when he stepped out of the shower stall, but did manage to catch himself on the wall.

Harry paused a moment when he heart shuffling on the other side of the door. He clenched his toiletry bag closer and waited a moment for the noise to cease.

It did and Harry plucked his toothbrush from the bag and a comb. Once finished getting the wet knots out and scrubbing his pearly whites did Harry dash from the bathroom as silently as he could. He ducked quickly back into his room and leaned against the door as he closed it behind him.

Tom was awake.

"No problems, I guess?"

Harry nods.

"Good. Wait for me. I'll be done in a moment. We will go to breakfast together."

And with that Tom left.

Harry goes to sit on his bed, opens the nightstand drawer and pulls out a fresh sheet of paper and his pencils. He counted the small nubs in him palm and froze when he noticed that some were missing.

He counts again and pulls out all the papers from the nightstand, looking around the base, under and even checking out the other drawer... To no avail.

"Did you lose something?"

Harry whirled around.

Tom was much too fast.

"I had a shower last night." he walked over, a small hand towel in his hand. "What are you looking for?"

Harry pointed at the the open drawer, holding one of the nubs in his open palm for Tom to see.

"Your pencils?"

He nods.

Tom took a quick peak under and around his bed. He even tore his sheets off the bed to shake them out.

"Did you check the wardrobe?"

He checked, pushing aside his pile of clothing.

He was missing a shirt; easy to notice when you only had five.

He gathered up the remaining three -he was wearing one- and gestured them towards Tom.

Tom raised his eyebrow. "Laundry?"

Harry pointed at the empty basket.

"Perhaps you left some of the pencils downstairs and your shirt ended up in someones else's basket?" Tom spoke, folding up one of the remaining four shirts and placing it neatly back in the wardrobe. "For now we can go to breakfast. IT is the last day of our summer vacation and I would very much not like to spend it here looking for your pencils."

Harry's shoulders dropped.

"We'll get you some new ones."

After breakfast the boys went outside.

Harry had procured a ball much to Tom's chagrin.

"I'm not playing football." He was disgusted with the very idea.

Harry shot him a pleading puppy dog eyed look. _'Please...'_

"No."

But Harry was no disappointed. He knew his friend was not the sporty type. Instead he ventured away from Tom to kick the ball around alone. Happily to do so. Tom sat a few meters away watching from the corner of his eye with one of his science journals in hand.

Harry was kicking the ball at the tree, aiming to hit at a specific spot in the middle. He was missing horribly.

Tom watched as an idea manifested in his head.

He sets his journal down.

"Harry," Tom now stood in front of the tree. Harry stops the ball with the ball of his foot. Perplexed. "Aim to get it past me."

Tom would play... goalie? He planted himself as a physical barrier; a motivator for the boy.

Tom had an ulterior motive. Let Harry think of it as a simple football game. He accepts the challenge, bring his foot back and kicking it forward.

Tom catches it quickly. Harry smiles as Tom rolls it back.

Harry kicks again, and Tom catches again.

They continue for a while, both respectively sweaty. Tom was not very good at sports but he was larger than the boy easily able to reach his larger arms out to catch the ball, ungracefully though. He had tripped a few time. But, Harry was fast. He never slowed down his pace with his kicks, each one growing in power. Tom's wrist was starting to hurt each time he caught one.

Harry started dribbling the ball a bit, showing off some little trick he learned... Tom would sigh but praise him accordingly, knowing that the boy was fishing for compliments.

And then it happens.

A very fine neon green surrounded the ball as Harry shoots it forward and right as it is about to hit Tom's awaiting hand it curves slightly and rolls past the tree.

Tom shot Harry a pleased look. Harry doesn't notice the strange trajectory of the ball and instead basks in afterglow of him successfully getting it past Tom.

Harry drops himself down onto the ground and Tom joins him, rolling the ball again back.

The young boy is all smiles and was rubbing the ball fondly in his fingers.

"Harry," he looks across to Tom. "I want to show you something."

And he gets back to his feet and holds out his hand to Harry who takes it immediately. Tom pulls the boy up and dusts the two of them off. He leads Harry away from the Orphanage's courtyard, down the path that led out back to the modestly sized vegetable garden.

Tom bent down at the edge of the garden but Harry remained standing.

" _Come out.._." Tom voice came out like a hiss again. Harry shivered a little and couldn't help but take a step back. Harry noticed that something was moving in the garden, and moving pretty quickly.

A small snake slithered forward and crawled up Tom's arm. The older boy dug his free hand in his pocket to pull out a tin. After unclasping the lid a cricket escapes from its confines and the snake lunged to catch it.

Harry watched. _'How...'_

Tom continued was whispering to the snake over and over. Words of pleasantries, soothing the creature as it stared at Tom... The snake accepted the his fingers to stroke under its chin and along its scales all while Tom cooed at it like it was his newborn child. It was docile as it wounded itself more comfortably around Toms biceps, it almost looked fake.

"I can't talk to it... not exactly." Toms eyes remained trained on the snake. Its tongue flicked out and tasted his fingers as Tom brought his hand in front of it. "I made it trust me..."

_'Made it?'_

"You see... Harry. I have this..." Tom paused and was now looking at Harry. His eyes were red. "Power."

_'No!_

_'Your mother went and got herself blown up, she did! Associated herself with freaks!'_

Harry's open fingers grasped his messy black hair, pulling at it roughly. He could hear his Aunt Marges' voice in his head. Memories of that day which he had tried so hard to forget...

_'Disaster really - server her right thought. That Potter fellow, Petunia dear... what did you say he did? Never mind, it is of no concern...' she laughed picking up a scone from the table and stuffing it in her face, but proceeded to talk through it. 'Your sister though should know not to mingle with the wrong sort-'_

"Harry, _look at me..."_

He lowered his hand a bit, squinting through his blurry tear filled eyes. Tom's snake had disappeared and his hands were reaching out for the smaller boy.

_"Relax, Harry..."_ his hissed. The red eyes were pulsating. _"Just listen..."_

Harry's hands dropped to the ground and he fell to his knees beside Tom. His face froze and all he could do was focus on Tom Riddle.

"Excellent... _Just listen, Harry..._ I have this power..." Tom reached out to touch Harry, brushing his hand along the boys face, his thumbing stroking under his eye. "I can make animals... and people.. feel things. I can make them do things."

Harry listened. He only listened.

"I have been doing it for as long as I can remember. It is probably the only reason I have been able to bare living at this foul place for so long." Tom's eye narrowed glancing at the building behind them for a moment. "That is until you came, _Harry..."_

Harry's face was locked, his chest stagnant. His cheeks were turning blue...

"Harry what- shit!" Tom closed his eyes and ripped himself away from Harry. _'Just listen... '_ Tom had said. His command had resulted in Harry doing absolutely nothing but listen to Toms words, to the point that Harry had effectively stopped breathing.

Harry was gasping now, coughing with his hands clenching the grass around him. He shuffled away from Tom putting a safe distance between them and propping himself up to run.

"I am sorry, Harry! I should have been more careful," Tom stressed, trying to place his hands back on the boy, but recoiled when Harry lashed his arm out to slap him away.

"You need to listen to what I have to say."

Harry's nose wrinkled, his mouth twisting into a frown. His eyes were starting to glow green.

Tom noticed and swallowed. Minding the distance between them, he brought his hand up and covered his eyes.

Harry relaxed, slightly.

"You understand, right? Like this I can't do anything to you..." Tom said hesitation in his voice. He sounded almost vulnerable. He sat down on the ground, legs folded under him and his head bowed. But he never removed his hand from his face.

Harry watched carefully. The green rings around his iris's still not fading.

"I won't do it again..." Tom said quietly his hand dropping but his head remained down.

Here was Tom Riddle. The arrogant and prideful 12 year old, who had mysteriously managed to procure invaluable scientific text books for a community funded library, who had the local Constable kissing the ground he walked on; who had all the matrons of Wool's orphanage cowering in fear, who had Billy Stubbs and Dennis Bishop absolutely paranoid when he so much as shot a smile at them, and who roomed with the feared child Devil of London, Harry Potter.

But not here he was was on his knees, in the dirty completely submissive to Harry and absolutely begging for forgiveness.

"Do you promise?"

Harry spoke.

Tom inhaled deeply, ignoring the jump in his chest at Harry's voice and the little twitch of his lip in happiness at hearing the voice. He was the only one Harry did talk to after all.

"I promise." He said softly.

"Never again..." Harry stepped forward, his hand out.

Tom took the smaller hand in his allowing Harry to pull him out of the dirt. Harry was not smiling but looked rather calm and readily willing for Tom to continue where he left off. He would not meet Tom's eyes though, still mildly fearful of what Tom could or would do. Tom once more rubbed his fingers against Harry's exposed skin, stroking soothingly. Coaxing Harry to look at their interlocking hands. A small blush appeared on Harry's cheeks.

"Yes..." Tom chuckled a little. "Never again."

Tom Riddle would _never_ use his powers on Harry _again_. He promised.

**Author's Note:**

> I started this as a Harry Potter fanfic, then wrote it as an original work, now it is back to Harry Potter fanfiction.  
> Feels better that way. 
> 
> I'm using this story to explore character writing and relationship building as I work on my own original works. I do plan on working on this a lot along side my personal projects. They will be relatively slow updates. I have major ADD when it comes to projects. 
> 
> PS looking to join a Discord chat to discuss ideas.  
> Also check out Dementors Kiss. I have updated it. Will maybe continue that one as well.  
> Few other chapters for this are written. Will publish if interest is expressed~
> 
> unbeta'd


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